1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a driving support apparatus that processes a captured image to recognize a driving environment, and supports a driver to drive.
2. Description of Related Art
There has recently been developed a technique of executing a driving support control in a vehicle such as an automobile. In the driving support control described above, an object present around the vehicle is detected by analyzing a reflection wave of an electric wave emitted from an image captured by a camera or from a radar device, a possibility of collision between the vehicle and another object is determined based on information of the detected object, and when there is a possibility of collision, a driver's attention is drawn by sounding alarm, or an automatic steering or braking control is executed in order to avoid the collision.
For example, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (JP-A) No. 2010-260504 describes a technique in which an object present ahead in the advancing direction is detected, a determination is made as to the contact between the vehicle and the object based on the detection result of the object and a predetermined contact determination condition, and a throttle actuator, a brake actuator, a steering actuator, and an alarm device are operated at an appropriate timing according to the determination result.
On a cold area or on a place at high altitudes, in particular, amass of moisture may float above a road, or exhaust gas exhausted from an exhaust pipe of a vehicle ahead may stay there to form white smoke. When the mass of moisture or the exhaust gas is detected as an object, a driving support might be executed under the condition that is not exactly appropriate, such as the case in which the brakes are uniquely applied to stop the vehicle in front of the mass of moisture or exhaust gas. This control might give a driver a feeling of strangeness.